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Celebrate Spring with Travel By Book!

Spring is finally here, which means school holidays and summer vacations are right around the corner! Whether you are already packing your bags or are still trying to decide where to go, let Travel By Book inspire you.

Featured in this post are mysteries, thrillers, romantic comedies, historical fiction, and romance novels set in Papua New Guinea, the Netherlands, England, Germany, France, Spain, Australia, St. Lucia, India, Greece, and Italy. They are written by Anne Allen, EJ Bauer, Caron Albright, M A Clarke Scott, Daisy James, Ruchira Khanna, Susan Kiernan-Lewis, Imogen Matthews, Marjory McGinn, Yvonne Payne, Scott Stavrou, and myself. Click on the book cover to learn more or buy the book.

These fabulous reads are sure to motivate you to dig out your passport and start booking your next trip abroad!

The complete list of fiction and non-fiction titles by Travel By Book authors can be found on Facebook (sorted by country). You can find the second Celebrate Spring with Travel By Book post here.

Travel By Book is a growing Facebook group of authors and readers who enjoy being transported to other destinations via fiction and non-fiction. If you enjoy reading books that take you places, consider joining us!

Rituals of the Dead: An Artifact Mystery by Jennifer S. Alderson

Adventures of Zelda Richardson, Book 3

Art history student Zelda Richardson is working at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam on an exhibition of bis poles from the Asmat region of Papua – the same area where a famous American anthropologist disappeared in 1962. When his journal is found inside one of the bis poles, Zelda is tasked with finding out more about the man’s last days and his connection to these ritual objects.

Zelda is pulled into a world of shady anthropologists, headhunters, missionaries, art collectors, and smugglers – where the only certainty is that sins of the past are never fully erased.

Join Zelda as she grapples with the anthropologist’s mysterious disappearance fifty years earlier, and a present-day murderer who will do anything to prevent her from discovering the truth.

The Betrayal by Anne Allen

The Guernsey Novels, Book 6

Treachery and theft lead to death – and love.

1940. Teresa Bichard and her baby are sent by her beloved husband, Leo, to England as the Germans draw closer to Guernsey. Days later they invade…
1941. Leo, of Jewish descent, is betrayed to the Germans and is sent to a concentration camp, never to return.
1942. Teresa returns to find Leo did not survive and the family’s valuable art collection, including a Renoir, is missing. Heartbroken, she returns to England.
1943. Nigel and his twin Fiona, buy a long-established antique shop in Guernsey and during a refit, find a hidden stash of paintings, including what appears to be a Renoir. Days later, Fiona finds Nigel dead, an apparent suicide. Refusing to accept the verdict, a distraught Fiona employs a detective to help her discover the truth…

Searching for the rightful owner of the painting brings Fiona close to someone who opens a chink in her broken heart. Can she answer some crucial questions before laying her brother’s ghost to rest? Who betrayed Leo? Who knew about the stolen Renoir? And are they prepared to kill – again?

A Matter of Love and Death: a historical mystery by Caron Albright

An absorbing 1930s mystery that you won’t be able to put down.

Adelaide, 1931. Telephone switchboard operator Frances’ life is difficult as sole provider for her mother and adopted uncle. But it’s thrown into turmoil when she overhears a suspicious conversation on the phone, planning a murder.

If a life is at risk, she should tell the police; but that would mean breaking her confidentiality clause and would cost her the job. And practical Frances, not prone to flights of fancy, soon begins to doubt the evidence of her own ears – it was a very bad line, after all…

She decides to put it behind her, a task helped by the arrival of their new lodger, Phil. Phil takes her to a nightclub, where she meets charming but slightly dangerous club owner Jack. Jack’s no angel – prohibition is in force, and what’s a nightclub without champagne? But he’s a good man, and when Frances’ earlier fears resurface she knows that he’s the person to confide in.

Frances and Jack’s hunt for the truth put them in grave danger, and soon enough Frances will learn that some things are a matter of love and death…

From Moulin Rouge to Gaudi’s City by EJ Bauer

Someday Travels, Book 1

When Elizabeth receives a diagnosis of breast cancer, she reassesses her life’s to-do list. Having always suppressed her travel longings, she opens her neglected ‘someday’ ledger and takes a much closer look at the contents. After an opportune invitation from a friend to meet in Paris, and her sister’s enthusiastic agreement to be part of the adventure, a plan begins to take shape. Join the Australian trio as they savour the sights of France and Spain, where no trip is complete without a morsel of local cuisine and a sip of something sparkling.

The Art of Enchantment by M A Clarke Scott

Life is a Journey, Book 1

Ecstasy is the only thing on Clio’s mind.

Specifically, ecstasy as portrayed in the Renaissance art of Italy. Clio is a shy art history doctoral student, clinging to her last chance at achieving the college degree of her father’s dreams, when she meets fast-living, sexy Italian architect Guillermo.

They come from two different worlds, but share a deep passion for history and beauty. Clio can’t resist being drawn into Guillermo’s problems when his family’s beautiful ancestral villa is at risk of being sold to an American rap star who will carelessly destroy it’s rich culture, history and artistry.

She tries to keep it professional and fights the urge to surrender to his smoldering seduction. Guillermo is exactly the type of man Clio’s experience has taught her to avoid, and by getting involved with him and his villa, she stands to lose much more than her precious Ph.D. Can Clio juggle her PhD thesis, a too-hot-to-handle romance, and rescue a priceless piece of history or will everything end in disaster?

Sunshine & Secrets: Paradise Cookery School by Daisy James

When newly heartbroken, Michelin-starred chef Millie Harper is offered a job overseeing the setup of The Paradise Cookery School she jumps at the opportunity. Leaving London and her memories of heartbreak behind she hops on a plane to the hilltop cocoa plantation in St Lucia.

But this beautiful island break might be more work than she’d expected….  With only two weeks to have the kitchen installed and with cocoa pods going missing from the plantation, she’s going to need some help. Gruff but charming estate manager Zach Barker, is only too happy to offer his opinions. As the two clash heads can they remain focussed on the job in hand and get the cookery school finished in time?

Pack your bags and jump right into the sun and secrets of The Paradise Cookery School. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jenny Oliver and Kat French.

Murder à la Carte by Susan Kiernan-Lewis

Maggie Newberry Mysteries, Book 2

When her boyfriend inherits an ancient vineyard in France, Maggie Newberry quits her job in Atlanta to accompany him for a year abroad. They settle in the tiny village of St-Buvard, but murder has gone long before them and follows close behind.

Murder a la Carte brings Atlanta copywriter Maggie Newberry to the brink of two connected murders—both committed in her home—and both poised to threaten everything she holds dear. When Maggie agrees to move to France with her boyfriend—a French ex-confidence man who has just inherited a house and vineyard—she doesn’t expect her year of French market shopping and weekend trips to Paris to be interrupted by a vicious murder in her living room. Or that the bloody violence that occurred on their front doorstep sixty years earlier after the end of the Second World War might be connected. If you want to save the price of a ticket to the south of France this year, pick up Murder a la Carte instead. It will give you a delicious escape into the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Provence—all tucked nicely within the framework of a tightly woven mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Voyagers into the Unknown by Ruchira Khanna

In the historic Indian town of Agra, you can find a very unusual tour company, which is owned by a charming young man named Raj. Although Raj’s official job is to show off the historical landmarks of Agra, including the legendary Taj-Mahal, his true mission is to heal the souls of his broken “birds,” as he affectionately refers to his tour participants. His business operates purely upon word-of-mouth referrals, ensuring that all of his tour members arrive in Agra with their hearts in their hands, ready for the spiritual growth and cleansing that Raj is known to provide.Healing the hearts of the spiritually damaged can be a difficult job, and in this particular tale, Raj finds himself faced with his most challenging tour group yet.

First, there is Ira, a stunningly gorgeous but fragile young woman on the brink of suicide. Next, we meet Darci and Lennard, a couple on the verge of divorce. Then there is Carl, an irritable, antisocial workaholic who has burned all of his bridges. Lastly, we meet Asha, an elderly widow who still yearns for the company and comfort of her late husband.When disaster strikes the tour group, everything is thrown into jeopardy, including lives, relationships, and Raj’s very reputation as a tour guide. Raj must find a way to lift the spirits of these five special travelers, even in the face of death and despair.

Venture into the unknown and discover how Raj Touristry heals the brokenhearted, one soul at a time.

The Hidden Village: A Story of Survival in WW2 Holland by Imogen Matthews

Wartime Holland. Who can you trust?

Deep in the Veluwe woods lies a secret that frustrates the Germans. Convinced that Jews are hiding close by they can find no proof. The secret is Berkenhout, a purpose-built village of huts sheltering dozens of persecuted people.

Young tearaway Jan roams the woods looking for adventure and fallen pilots. His dream comes true when he stumbles across an American airman, Donald C. McDonald. But keeping him hidden sets off a disastrous chain of events.

Sofie, a Jewish Dutch girl, struggles to adapt to living in Berkenhout, away from her family and friends. As weeks turn to months, she’s worried they’ll abandon her altogether. Henk Hauer, head woodman, is in charge of building the underground huts and ensuring the Berkenhout inhabitants stay safe.

But many grow suspicious of his liaisons with the Germans. Is he passing on secret information that could endanger lives? All it takes is one small fatal slip to change the course of all their lives for ever.

A Saint For The Summer by Marjory McGinn

What’s hidden on a Greek hillside can change your destiny…

Journalist Bronte McKnight is summoned to a hillside village in the wild and beautiful Mani region of Greece by her estranged expat father Angus to help him with a medical problem. But she soon discovers that Angus, whom she has barely seen in 10 years, has lured her there with an even trickier challenge in mind … solving a mystery from the Second World War, when a family member disappeared in Greece during the disastrous Battle of Kalamata, known as ‘Greece’s Dunkirk’.

With the country gripped by economic crisis, and the clock ticking against them, their near-impossible quest takes them from Kalamata to a remote mountain village, where its few remaining inhabitants are bound by old traditions and secrecy. As the tensions of their own fractured relationship rise, the pair are helped in their search by a cast of intriguing Greek characters, especially charismatic doctor Leonidas Papachristou. He has a pivotal role, not least in challenging Bronte’s assumption that she hasn’t the time or the courage to fall in love in Greece.

The secrets unearthed by Angus and Bronte will be painful and astonishing. This is a compelling tale of heroism, faith and love … with a heart-warming conclusion you’ll never forget.

Kritsotopoula: Girl of Kritsa by Yvonne Payne

Throughout her childhood exploits, the feisty daughter, Rodanthe, of Kritsa’s pappas (priest), yearns for her father’s approval without appreciating his efforts to keep her safe under Ottoman oppression.

Years later, the ruling Pasha orders Rodanthe’s kidnap intent on making her his wife. Determined not to yield, Rodanthe tricks the Pasha, and then flees to the mountains dressed as a young man. After joining rebels as Spanomanolis (Beardless Manolis), she draws on her unusual experiences and rare education to maintain her disguise throughout daring raids.

Now, honored as Kritsotopoula (Girl of Kritsa), villagers celebrate Rodanthe’s exploits annually in front of a poignant stone carving. This monument portrays the moment in 1823 when brave Rodanthe’s secret was exposed – a point mirrored as this story culminates with a twist.

Infused with myths and local flavour this historical adventure gives insight to customs that still shape many lives in Kritsa today.

Losing Venice by Scott Stavrou

Surrounded by beauty, can you learn to live beautifully?

Travel marketing executive Mark Vandermar leads an itinerant life. Elsewhere is where he calls home, so it’s no surprise when he’s called to Venice to help craft the Venice Tourism Council’s new campaign to attract skittish post-September 11 American tourism dollars.

As he gets to know Venice’s colorful campos and canals, his relationship with Venice grows more complex and its fascinating history both influences him and becomes a mirror reflecting the turbulence of the early twenty first century. In addition to Venice, Mark’s journey of discovery unfolds among some of Europe’s most captivating locales, including Prague, Budapest and the Greek islands where he encounters a cast of compelling characters that lead to life-changing consequences.

The geography of his new life is marked with discovery and reinvention, but what he really seeks is to learn to live beautifully, to find a place and a person to call home.

Like the finest expatriate novels, Losing Venice is as richly textured as its fabled locales and dives deeply into the possibilities, perils, and pleasures of learning how not to be lost.